HP embraces I/O as a strategic decision with its HP storage arrays, HP 8Gb and 16Gb Fibre Channel

(16GFC) Host Bus Adapters (HBAs), HP FlexFabric adapters for 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE), including protocol offload processing for FC over Ethernet (FCoE), iSCSI and TCP/IP. HP partners with Emulex to deliver intelligent I/O solutions to support the latest technologies and meet the service-level agreements (SLAs) of your customers. Along with FC and iSCSI connectivity for HP 3PAR, LeftHand, iBRIX and StoreOnce Storage, HP also deploys LAN on Motherboard (LOM) cards known as HP FlexFabric adapters. The adapters are converged-ready Network Interface Cards (NICs) and Converged Network Adapters (CNAs) based on Emulex technology, designed for simplified deployment and engineered for reliability. HP offers FlexibleLOM adapters for both HP ProLiant servers and HP BladeSystem c-Class servers. These FlexibleLOMs offer full support for FCoE, iSCSI, and Ethernet, all at the price of a standard 10GbE adapter. FlexFabric LOMs and adapters provided by Emulex support both Virtual Connect Flex-10 and Virtual Connect Flex Fabric.

So what does this end to end I/O connectivity mean for your customers? By selecting intelligent I/O solutions exclusively provided by Emulex, HP delivers high performance and extremely reliable 8GFC and 16GFC HBAs, and 10GbE I/O connectivity with the greatest protocol flexibility for a converged network environment – across your server and storage infrastructure. With these intelligent I/O solutions, HP customers reduce operational expenditures (OPEX) and capital expenditures (CAPEX) through:

• Flexible I/O connectivity
• Lower power and cooling requirements
• Ease of upgrading and management
• Industry-leading performance
• Exceptional reliability

For more information on the HP FC and 10GbE solutions provided by Emulex, please visit our microsite, or download this solutions brief to read more about HP’s end to end I/O connectivity provided by Emulex here.

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At HP Discover in Frankfurt this week, HP announced a new architecture of storage arrays designed to serve unpredictable and mixed workloads, support unstructured and structured data growth, meet both file and block storage needs, and even support the use of new object storage implementations as needs arise. It’s the world’s most advanced storage platform, here to help you master unpredictability—effortlessly, without exception, and without compromise. One of the new members of this family – the mid-range 3PAR storage array platform – HP 3PAR StoreServ 7000 which delivers effortless, efficient, bullet-proof, and future-proof storage to the entire midrange. It’s the only platform that offers the performance required to double virtual machine (VM) density on your physical servers—guaranteed. Store all of your data on a single system that supports advanced features such as storage federation and automated tiering and enables you to start small and grow without disruption. Make storage effortless.

Emulex is pleased to offer the HP 8Gb Fibre Channel (8GFC) connectivity for these new storage array platforms. This Fibre Channel connectivity solution comes with the array so you can quickly deploy and implement I/O for performance-intensive solutions, such as virtualization, from the get-go.

We hope you had a chance to stop by the Emulex booth at HP Discover (booth #307) to hear more about our HP/Emulex Fibre Channel offerings with the new HP 3PAR StoreServ series, as well as our converged network solutions. And if not, check out our Emulex for HP landing page to learn more!

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Emulex is pleased to announce it is delivering its network convergence technology for use in the new HP Integrity BL860c i4, BL870c i4 and BL890c i4 Server Blades. The integrated HP NC553i 10Gb FlexFabric adapter provided by Emulex delivers I/O flexibility, efficiency and simplicity for both Local Area Network (LAN) and Storage Area Network (SAN) connectivity.
The integrated HP NC553i 10Gb FlexFabric adapter delivers configurable LAN and SAN connections for flexibility, adjustable bandwidth to meet workload requirements and improve server efficiency, and simplifies I/O connectivity needs for converged and virtualized LAN and SAN infrastructures.

For added I/O connectivity capacity, additional HP FlexFabric Adapters leveraging Emulex’s 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE)-based convergence technology are also available for HP Integrity BL860c i4, BL870c i4 and BL890c i4 Server Blades. HP FlexFabric Adapters converge network and storage traffic for 10GbE and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), helping clients reduce networking complexity, lower technology costs and promote a green data center. HP FlexFabric Adapters allow 10Gb ports to be divided into multiple NIC and storage functions to optimize bandwidth allocation for virtualized server workloads. The HP NC553m 10Gb 2-port FlexFabric Adapter (P/N: 613431-B21) provided by Emulex supports 10GbE and FCoE traffic with Flex-10 functionality. HP NC553m consumes 20 percent lower power than older FlexFabric Adapters while providing future-ready single root I/O virtualization (SR-IOV).

To learn more about Emulex I/O connectivity solutions for HP, please visit: http://www.emulex.com/hp

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I had the good fortune of sitting down and doing a podcast with HP at VMworld to just catch up and also talk about the latest offerings with HP CloudSystem on VMware – which also happened to be one of the big announcements at the show. I really appreciated stopping to enjoy coffee together with Calvin Zito and Brent Allen over the podcast as these shows are always so frenzied. Having met each other during the HP/Compaq acquisition, Calvin Zito (of @HPStorageGuy ‘Twitter’ fame!) and I go way back – I’ve always respected him and enjoyed working with him when we were both at HP Storage. He’s the HP Storage social media guru that everyone knows and loves! I had the same great experience working with Brent Allen during my time at HP…both class acts. Brent is the product manager for the HP CloudSystem solutions for VMware, so I’ve had the pleasure of working with him more over the last year or so too.

Check out this HP TechCast podcast which highlights our conversation around HP, VMware and Emulex and its partnership and technology integration around HP CloudSystem for VMware (we’re up around the 16 minute mark in the podcast). As the I/O provider in these CloudSystem (previously known as VirtualSystem) solutions from inception (as mentioned in my blog last week), Emulex is proud to be a part of these proven and integrated solutions that rapidly transform virtualized resources.

Here is a link to Calvin’s blog which also references the podcast……grab your coffee and enjoy!

Special thanks to Calvin and Jeffery Powers of Geekazine for making this possible!

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Last week at VMworld in San Francisco, HP announced the expansion of their HP Converged Cloud Portfolio with VMware vCloud Suite 5.1, enabling clients to transform traditional virtualization deployments into open, private and hybrid cloud environments with less risk and complexity. Based on the HP strategy of Converged Infrastructure, the solution is comprised of infrastructure and services that together deliver optimal efficiencies for today’s demanding data centers. The cutting edge components in this solution consist of HP ProLiant and BladeSystem Generation 8 (Gen8) servers, converged LeftHand and 3PAR storage, and HP FlexFabric networking for optimizing and streamlining I/O performance, along with tight VMware and management integration. These updated HP VirtualSystem solutions, create the foundation for new, turnkey, prepackaged HP CloudSystem solutions optimized for VMware Cloud Infrastructure Suites.

The I/O connectivity in each of these solutions is a critical component to enabling the production and movement of virtual machines (VMs). The HP FlexFabric 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE) adapters provided by Emulex are the chosen adapters to drive optimal performance and streamline VM traffic in these solutions, averaging 20 percent more VMs per server when combined with the latest release of VMware vSphere.* Having been the I/O solution of choice in these VirtualSystem solutions since inception, the HP-branded 10GbE/Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) adapters provided by Emulex are essentially, converged-ready Network Interface Cards (NICs) that provide all-in-one capabilities for FCoE, iSCSI, and TCP/IP deployments – and they’re offered at the price of a straight 10GbE NIC! This makes transitioning from HP G7 to Gen8 simple, as the HP 10GbE technology provided by Emulex was leveraged in the G7 blade platform – so the same drivers, firmware and management tools are used, providing a seamless upgrade path.

The new HP CloudSystem solutions allow customers to accelerate their journey to the cloud by offering a proven and integrated solution that rapidly transforms virtualized resources. For more information on these solutions, please visit www.hp.com/go/csforvmware. This is yet another gleaming example of the depth of Emulex’s partnership with HP, which has accelerated and expanded the adoption of networked storage and extended the value of storage infrastructures for nearly two decades.

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IT Brand Pulse recently published a new application report showcasing Vonage, and their journey from migrating to a discrete “rack-based” environment to a more virtualized environment based on HP BladeSystem G7 servers, HP Virtual Connect Flex-10, HP FlexFabric 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE) adapters provided by Emulex, and VMware ESXi 5.0. The Vonage migration from discrete data center to virtualized data center involved many new technologies, products, and processes there were deployed in their Holmdel, New Jersey corporate headquarters.

Blade servers, server virtualization and network virtualization are core technologies key to slashing costs, while maintaining application performance and availability. The rack to blade migration resulted in the servers performing the same functions, but at a much smaller floor space, power, cooling and cable requirements. More consolidation and savings was found with the deployment of server virtualization. Server virtualization allows Vonage to fully utilize the compute power of each physical blade server by running multiple virtual machines (VMs) and applications. To accommodate the proliferation of VMs, HP BladeSystem feature virtual networking capabilities which allow server admins to configure unique virtual networks for each VM. Embedded on HP BladeSystem G7 servers are dual-port integrated HP Virtual Connect 10Gb FlexFabric Adapters, which are based on Emulex technology. The combination of blade servers, server virtualization and network virtualization, allow hundreds of VMs to be deployed in a single cabinet!

So how has Vonage been able to quantify these results? Overall, the company will consolidate 1,100 rack-mount servers, 40 cabinets and 3,000 cables into only two cabinets, four blade server chassis, and a handful of cables. Along the way, Vonage architects have identified a best practice for configuring I/O for live migrations, and a killer application for 10GbE.

Download the paper here to read more insights and lessons learned by Vonage. This is a great example of a customer leveraging HP’s leading BladeSystem G7 servers combined with I/O connectivity adapters provided by Emulex to reap cost, power and space savings for a consolidated, high-performance solution for their data center!

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As we prepare for VMworld 2012 next week in San Francisco, Emulex has great things in store with HP, as you’ll find the many ways we collectively enable VMware solutions. Along with our silver sponsorship of the event, Emulex is a proud sponsor of HP’s Partner Reception on Monday, August 27th, which includes a technical panel discussion and dinner, for HP and VMware channel partners. If you are an HP or VMware channel partner, you can register here to join us!

During this technical panel, you’ll hear from HP’s VMware Champions, Emulex and Intel, discussing HP Gen8, Get Virtual Guarantee, and HP VirtualSystem. As a participant in this discussion, Emulex will address questions on how HP 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE)/Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) solutions provided by Emulex enable today’s HP VirtualSystem solutions. Channel partners will be front and center for the technical forum, gaining valuable knowledge on how to build their pipeline using the latest HP solutions built on the new HP Gen8 platforms and how to maximize their partnership with HP and Emulex.

We also invite you stop by the Emulex booth (#2023) to hear about the latest HP I/O connectivity solutions provided by Emulex! HP Solutions Lifestyle Marketing Manager, Brent Allen will present “Mastering Virtualization with HP VirtualSystem and VMware 2.0” in our demo theater on Monday, August 27th at 1:30pm PT, Tuesday, August 28th at 4:00pm PT, and Wednesday, August 29th at 11:30am PT. This presentation will provide a first-hand view of our strategic partnership and how HP has delivered 10GbE/FCoE technology provided in conjunction with Emulex to address high-density virtualization requirements of today’s data centers. Take part in one of our demo theater sessions and get a Starbucks card if you ‘like’ us on Facebook or leave a comment on Twitter! In addition, we’ll have an HP Pod in our booth where you can get more information.

We look forward to seeing you at VMworld next week in booth #2023. And, as always, for more information on HP I/O connectivity solutions provided by Emulex, please visit our microsite to learn more: http://www.emulex.com/hp/.

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We are just back from HP Discover 2012 in Las Vegas and it was, yet again, a great week! As we partner with HP in delivering converged I/O, we had much to talk about in our booth, breakout sessions, and our multitude of customer and partner engagements. If you didn’t hear, we announced our new HP 8G Fibre Channel (8GFC) solution for HP Gen8 platforms on June 4th – the perfect addition in rounding out our comprehensive I/O portfolio for HP Gen8.

Here are some highlights from the week:

• We had two blockbuster breakout sessions which were well-attended. Co-presenting with VMware, one sponsor session discussed the deployment and best practices of HP 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE) and VMware ESXi. The other session discussed the new HP Gen8 I/O portfolio, highlighting our competitive advantages with comprehensive capabilities (Fibre Channel over Ethernet [FCoE], iSCSI, 10GbE) offered at the price of 10GbE.
• Traffic at the Emulex booth was never lack-luster at any day or time during the week – whether customers swung by to talk about our Fibre Channel and converged networking solutions, or they came by to check out the Ducati bike giveaway (congratulations to our winner: Chris Jennings of Woodinville, WA), there was never a dull moment. As founding members of the HP ProActive Insight Architecture program, we also had the opportunity to evangelize our message in the HP booth promoting this new program and our technology integration with HP Gen8!
• Countless meetings with customers, channel partners, and HP executives were made throughout the week – thanks to many of you who gave us your precious time!

We hope to see you soon – if you have questions or would like to discuss our HP/Emulex solutions more, please contact your local Emulex sales rep or visit http://www.emulex-hp.com/

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Announced June 4th, the new HP LPe1205A dual channel 8Gb Fibre Channel (8GFC) host bus adapter (HBA) is HP’s latest Fibre Channel mezzanine solution for HP ProLiant Gen8 blade platforms. Streamlined installation and management, unrivaled scalability, and industry-leading virtualization support makes the HP-LPe1205A dual channel 8GF) mezzanine HBA an ideal solution for the HP BladeSystem c-Class Gen8 platform. With powerful management tools and seamless integration into HP Storage Essentials (SE), System Insight Manager (SIM), and support for HP ProLiant Gen8 ProActive Insight Architecture, the HP-LPe1205A delivers maximum performance in the broadest range of applications and environments.

Key benefits include:

• Superior quality and reliability ensures data availability
• Supports HP ProLiant Gen8 ProActive Insight Architecture
• Highly efficient installation accelerates deployment and reduces administration costs
• Maximum SAN performance increases scalability and user satisfaction in large enterprise installations
• Robust interoperability simplifies deployment and upgrades of SAN hardware and software
• Provides efficient host utilization and compliance with SAN management best practices
• Supports IT server consolidation and energy conservation initiatives

Now with the arrival of the 8GFC solution, customers get unsurpassed performance and the broadest I/O offering whether they are deploying Fibre Channel or converged networking. With common drivers/firmware and management tools across the I/O portfolio, customers get a unified I/O architecture which simplifies deployment and migration.

Learn more about this latest addition to our portfolio at HP Discover – stop by the Emulex booth #407! Read more here about what we are doing at HP Discover this week, and we hope to see you there!

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It’s that time of year when the throngs of IT decision-makers flock to Vegas to participate in HP’s largest end user event of the year – HP Discover. Emulex is proud to sponsor the event once again this year, so come see what we have lined up as Gold sponsors.

As a founding member of the ProActive Insight Architecture program , we’ll be showcasing I/O connectivity solutions, further extending the broad support for HP storage and server offerings, spanning generations and protocols. We also have some awesome giveaways, so we hope you roll the dice to earn fantastic prizes just for stopping by. And the most fantastic prize of all? Enter to win our GRAND prize, which is a 2012 Ducati Monster motorcycle!! Or attend a breakout session and get a Starbucks gift card on the spot! And if you’re still feeling lucky, enter our drawing to win a $100 Visa gift card at the session. Details below on our two sponsor breakout sessions:

• Converged I/O for HP ProLiant Gen8 (session #BB3259 – Thursday, June 7th 11:15am): Join this interactive session with IT Brand Pulse to understand the benefits of HP converged networking, by exploring a customer’s real-world deployment. HP has just unveiled its next generation ProLiant Gen8 platform that accelerates server market transformation – in addition to being self-sufficient, this new platform is enabled with industry-leading I/O making them incredibly fast and flexible. The HP ProLiant Gen8 platform delivers a converged I/O that includes FlexFabric, Flex-10, iSCSI and Fibre Channel over Ethernet…..at the price of 10GbE.
• The benefits and best practices of using 10Gb Ethernet with VMware vSphere 5.0 (session #TB3258 – Wednesday, June 6th 2:45pm): Join Emulex and VMware for a technical discussion to help understand the effect of transitioning from 1Gb to 10Gb Ethernet. It’s no longer about speed and feeds as it requires knowledge of new network architectures and management tools in order to setup and monitor bandwidth allocation and traffic prioritization. Storage and Network architects need to have an understanding of new storage technologies, and networking features VMware brings with VMware ESXi 5.0.

We look forward to seeing you at HP Discover – stop by Emulex booth #407 in the Expo! See you in Vegas!

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